A friend recently sent me an article where the author gave this challenge – What is a better investment, planting an Apple orchard or buying Apple stock?

According to the author, “If you had bought Apple stock at its IPO in 1980, you’d be up over 200x your money. And that is truly phenomenal performance. But had you instead planted an apple tree back in 1980, that investment of roughly $1 would have yielded you THOUSANDS of dollars over the last 35 years.”

Now, the obvious difference is that working an orchard requires time, labor, and some knowledge about growing fruit, whereas owning stock is a passive investment. We are not comparing apples to apples, so to speak. However, the point is well taken that we should analyze and understand what we are investing in before making a rush to judgment about where we can get the greatest returns.

Experts have long said that investing in your own knowledge, skill, and ability is the highest long-term return on investment. That means you are a better risk than any other opportunity out there.

Here are some ways you can start today:

1. Educate yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to go to college to be educated, but you have to have a desire to learn and an appetite for studying those topics that interest you.

2. Get mentoring. Find someone who is an expert in the areas you want to learn more about and ask for time with them.

3. Get experience. Never make a blind leap of faith. Take small steps toward your long-term goals. Daily progress and perseverance are the keys.